At the risk of opening a can of worms, why are there no non-boundary schools left in 6A? Does the somewhat new IHSA class rule have an effect? There are a few left in 7A, and a few other classes, but I am just wondering where all the powerhouses went this year.. HHmmm.
AND this past week in Sports Illustrated was a very interesting article in regards to this very subject--altho they referred to "private Catholic schools" versus non-boundary...
Here are the private or non boundary schools left:
1A - Routt Catholic 3A - St.Teresa 4A - Driscoll Catholic & Mater Dei 5A - Marian Central Catholic & Sacred Heart-Griffin 7A - Boylan Catholic, Providence Catholic, & St.Rita 8A - Mt.Carmel
So just beacause there are not any private schools left in 6A, doesn't mean there aren't any any powerhouses left. Privates could still win 6 of the 8 titles, but on the other hand the could also go 0 for 8. I am not for the multiplier, but my opinion doesn't matter since this game is supposed to be about the kids anyway. Good luck to every team that is left in the IHSA state finals.
Well, there weren't really any private school contenders in 6A. Joliet Catholic hadn't truely been thought of as a team to beat since week 2, St. Viator wasn't either.
Mt. Carmel is still alive in 8A. And a Marian Catholic team that nobody thought would do anything in 8A, knocked off a tough Homewood Flossmoor team. A 5-4 Brother Rice team, who was usually in 6A back when there were six classes, almost beat Bolingbrook after upsetting Lincoln-Way Central.
7A My bracket says, St. Rita, Boylan & lowly 5-4 Providence are all in the quarterfinals.
5A still has Marian Central & last years champs Sacred Heart-Griffin. 4A has Driscoll and Mater Dei 3A St. Teresa 2A ony had private school to start 1A Routt was and still is the only private school
Of course I've left out the Chicago public school power houses of Carver, King & Brooks, who all would have been in 4A if not for the multiplier.
Did you open up a can? Yes you did.
"Does that somewhat new IHSA rule have an effect?" You damn right it does. It was ment to bump private schools up into a class that would make it harder for them to continue winning.
Why? Because there are a lot of parents out there who think winning is some kind of birth right for their kids and how dare some private school little spoiled brats beat my hard working public school child.
I don't condone cheating at any level, but the fact of the matter is, there have been IHSA bi-laws in place for years about how to conduct oneself on the matter of recruiting for athletic purposes. And for what ever reason that didn't matter.
Schools that were never good in any sports are now being punished because of the supposed crimes of a few. While every other year there is a public school being charged of recruiting.
The fact is, recruiting happens, but when and where (public or private) it does is the problem. By passing this rule I've always felt that the IHSA admitted to the fact that it either couldn't enforce it's own by laws or the powers at the top feared the backlash that would come if they didn't.
Anybody that believes that a blaket policy is the way to go, will most likely be sitting on the sidelines complaining about how the small blue collar towns can't compete with the rich suburban schools, once all the private schools have been banned from the IHSA. Then there'll be a multipler based on your per student spending.
That person my friends will always be siting on the losing side of the field.
__________________
Vincent Johnson/Editor-in-Chief
www.IHSFW.com
Somebody has to cover the entire state.
I still found the article in Sports Illustrated to be extremely interesting. Brought this same issue to a national exposure. Article mentions and compliments the states of Illinois and Kentucky to actually addressing this issue. Blanket policy may not be the correct act, some folks would prefer a seperate Catholic league, most players will tell you they don't care, the best team is the best team, regardless of where the players come from. It's normally moms and dads doing the griping.
I heard an interesting movie quote the other day. It went a little something like this.
"People think the Bill of Rights entitles them to happiness, but it really just entitles people to the pursuit of happiness."
Cheaters get caught. If you take care of your own business honestly you'll never have to walk through life wondering who might come knocking on your door someday. If your an athletic director and you give just 1 kid on the team a scholarship to play at your private school, then you win a state title. How can you live with the fact that someday you might have to tell each kid that played on that team to give back their medals and the trophy becasue you cheated.
I've heard stories from both private and public schools that would make most people's toes curl up twice.
Basically people need to stop worring about how some one could have beat their son on the field. There's always some one better and some people need to get over it.
__________________
Vincent Johnson/Editor-in-Chief
www.IHSFW.com
Somebody has to cover the entire state.
HHmmm. 
